2019 Legacy Helen's Pinot Noir

WINEMAKER’S NOTES

Named after Bill Stoller’s aunt, this wine is made primarily from the Wädenswil clone of Pinot Noir. Helen’s has an elegant nose of heady floral, baking spice, and red fruit, which gives way to secondary notes of earth and black raspberry. The palate is layered and vibrant, which carries red fruit flavors and a ferrous minerality through a long finish.

VINTAGE OVERVIEW

The 2019 vintage was a return to a classic Oregon growing season. Bud break, bloom, lag phase, and harvest dates all fell within days of the 2013 and 2014 vintages. Our estate crop set on target with expected levels for all varieties. Moderate summer weather persisted, presenting very few heat spikes and delivering only one notable record-breaking day in June. Cool, wet weather arrived early in September, pushing ripening and delaying the harvest window. The conditions in late September and October returned to sunny days and brisk nights, allowing us to pick based on ripe fruit flavors and near-perfect natural acidity.

94 Points - Wine Spectator
92 Points - James Suckling
91 Points - Wine Enthusiast